Aug 17 2008
Joan Walsh: “Are We Now Officially a Christian Nation?”
Saturday night, Obama and McCain attended a nationally televised forum hosted by Saddleback Church in California, led by Pastor Rick Warren. Personally, I was jumping between this event and Olympics coverage; but Salon’s ever-the-professional Joan Walsh was watching the forum word for word. It is obvious from her column this morning we saw the same thing—
Walsh noted Obama’s “courage” entering such a venue which she likened to Daniel in the lion’s den. My immediate reaction was the obvious analogy: the real Forum in Rome—where Christians faced lions in mortal combat. Analogies aside, we both saw the same thing—To Ms. Walsh’s credit she obviously has a stronger stomach than I.
It is no surprise that Senator McCain did very well in this element. It is no surprise that Senator Obama’s did as well as he could in this element. I thought both men did a wonderful job of authentically articulating who they are and what they are about. It is obvious that Obama recognizes the difference between Politics and politics. McCain does not. McCain used this forum as a Political moment to continue his public embrace of the Neoconservative agenda. I suspect many Americans are thinking “Go John!” Obama seemed to me to be in “personal reflection” mode—my only solace is “At least he goes there”.
The bottom line here is that Politics have now officially moved into the Church—where the Church has become a forum for both advocacy and policy making. You can say what you like about a “religious test”, but if last night was not a religious test, I don’t know what it was… You could say, “Well either candidate could have refused to show up”. Seriously, could they? What would we be talking about this morning if either candidate had refused to show up? Then there is Ms. Walsh’s question: “Are we now officially a Christian nation?” It would seem so… Nevertheless, “Thank you so much for your question, Ms. Walsh!”
The Church has been actively involved in policy-making and advocacy on some level for a very long time. In fact, I cannot, in my life, remember a time when the Church was not acting as a political forum. I am not sure why this moment in history is so much different than before? Media coverage? Power and influence of the Church on what has been traditionally thought of as secular realms? I am not sure. But, I do know that there have always been elements in the Church that have sought to do exactly what current elements of the Church are doing. I am also not sure where the other elements are that are supposed to keep those two factors, remember those two old familiar favorites - Church and State - separate. I think, going out on a limb here, that those factors are supposed to be us by default.
I can certainly mail you my copy! I am LOVING this blog, by the way